As a real estate pro, chances are you spend a great deal of time in your car traveling to open houses, driving clients to showings and familiarizing yourself with neighborhoods. Here are a few ways to make your auto-related costs a little less expensive.
Slow and steady. Gas mileage decreases at speeds over 50 mph. In fact, every 5 mph you drive above 50 mph is like paying an additional 20 cents per gallon of gas.
Get some air. Replacing your air filter every 30,000 miles will help keep dirt out of your engine and save fuel. On most cars, you can do it yourself in less than five minutes.
Idle hands. Idling while parked can use a quarter- to a half-gallon of fuel per hour. By contrast, starting your vehicle requires only 10 seconds worth of fuel. If you stop to look for directions or to call a client, be sure to turn off your engine.
Check gas apps. Find the lowest gas price along your route using an app like GasBuddy or Gas Guru for Android or iPhone.
Bundle up. Insuring your home and auto with a single company, or bundling your policies, can discount your rates up to 10 percent a year.
Read the manual. A quick glance at your owner’s manual before routine service at the dealership could save you from unnecessary extras. For example, draining and replacing transmission fluid is not required on most newer cars until reaching 100,000 miles.
DIY. Check how-to videos online to learn how to do minor repair jobs yourself. Replacing your own wiper blades and fuses or topping off fluids can save you cash.
Here’s to more money-saving motoring!
Source: MONEY